Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
accused neighbouring Turkey of torpedoing a UN plan for a ceasefire with
rebels in the second city of Aleppo, in comments published on Friday.

Syrian Arab News Agency handout
showing President Bashar al-Assad during an interview with the Swedish
newspaper Expressen in Damascus on April 17, 2015

Assad told the Swedish newspaper
Expressen that Ankara had used its influence with rebel factions to
persuade them to reject the proposals put forward by UN envoy Staffan de
Mistura for a ceasefire in the former commercial hub.

"The Turks told the factions -- the
terrorists that they support and they supervise -- to refuse to
cooperate with De Mistura," the Syrian president said.

The main Western-backed rebel alliance is based in Turkey.

Syria also accuses Ankara of supporting
jihadists with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, who have come to
dominate the revolt against his rule since a peaceful uprising in 2011
escalated into armed conflict.

Rebel factions in Aleppo rejected De
Mistura's proposals on March 1, saying they could not accept a separate
truce that did not cover other war-torn Syrian cities.

It was a major blow for the UN envoy
appointed in July last year, who had made a halt to the fighting in
Aleppo the main focus of his peace efforts.

The city has been devastated by fighting
since rebels seized its eastern half in 2012, setting up a front line
that carves through its historic heart.